ATLANTA -- Darcy Tucker just isn't feeling the love from the shinny electorate.

And his teammates cannot understand it.

Not only is Tucker just 26th among Eastern Conference forwards in voting for the all-star game in Dallas on Jan. 24, his name isn't even on the ballot.

Yet, here is a guy, various Leafs lobbied yesterday, who entered the game against the Atlanta Thrashers last night with 16 goals, trailing only league leaders Marian Hossa and Brendan Shanahan.

Admittedly, Tucker did not look like an all-star during Atlanta's 5-0 dismantling of the Leafs, but neither did any of his teammates.

"Just because you are not on (the ballot) doesn't mean you are not going," defenceman Bryan McCabe said. "If anyone deserves to be on it, it's Darcy thus far. He's leading the league in power play goals and has been great for us all season."

Tucker must either rely on write-in votes or has to be picked by league officials prior to the game if he hopes to make it. McCabe, goalie Andrew Raycroft, defencemen Tomas Kaberle and forward Mats Sundin are the Leafs who are listed on the ballot.

"There is still a lot more time to get more votes," Kaberle said. "He deserves it. He has been putting pucks in pretty much on a daily basis."

Tucker, who scored 28 goals last season, merely shrugged his shoulders when asked about his omission from the ballot.

"The league makes those decisions, obviously," said Tucker, whose 13,306 votes leaves him about 234,000 behind leading Eastern Conference forward Sidney Crosby.

"(An all-star appearance) would be nice. Obviously, it's been going well this year and we, as a team, hope that continues."